This article provides a broad overview on the literature pertaining to the perceptions of online credentials compared with traditional forms of credentialing. Columbaro and Monaghan discuss how employers factor these considerations into their hiring decisions. They summed up their findings by highlighting common views of online credentials as they relate to distance learning contexts and the existing options in the ecosystem of credentials. This presents interesting implications for the role of digital badges in the evolving learning ecosystem.

Regardless of where you start, it’s more than likely you’ll end up somewhere other than your intended destination. That’s okay. Systems are living things, and your badge system needs to be flexible. You must embrace a bit of chaos in its design.
-Carla Casilli, Director of Design + Practice at the Badge Alliance